BEIJING – China has announced to send 200 million yuan ($31m) worth of emergency aid to Afghanistan, including food supplies and coronavirus vaccines.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the announcement on Wednesday while virtually addressing a meeting with foreign ministers of Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries, including Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
The emergency aid will comprise food, winter weather supplies, three million COVId-19 vaccine doses, and medicine.
In his remarks, the Chinese foreign minister was quoted by Xinhua state news agency as saying that Afghanistan is “standing at the crossroads”, as it is facing humanitarian crises including the COVID-19 pandemic.
China shares a land border with Afghanistan, where the Taliban on Tuesday announced a new interim government structure, naming Mullah Hasan Akhund as prime minister of the country.
Wang said that the United States and its allies are more obligated than any other country to provide economic, livelihood and humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, and help Afghanistan maintain stability, prevent chaos and move toward sound development on the premise of respecting the sovereignty and independence of Afghanistan.
The announcement of Chinese government comes days after the Taliban termed Beijing their major partner in Afghanistan’s rebuilding.
China will be our major partner in Afghanistan’s rebuilding, say Taliban
